We should be proud that we are Filipinos for it is only us who can make this nation great again.. but are we up to it? This is originally a book idea which I thought of writing but for now we are putting it as a blog where you can post or send your sentiments about being a Filipino.. happiness, triumphs and frustrations. All are invited to become contributor to this blog.

You see it on TV almost everyday; our poor kababayans, lining up and sweating under the sun just to buy a few kilos of rice. Since stocks run out within a few hours, many unlucky ones go home empty handed. This situation has led many to believe that there is a rice crisis. But if you think about it there’s no shortage in rice. There’s still plenty of commercial rice available in the market, although it’s more expensive. Ang kinukulang ay ang mas mura na NFA rice na siyang binibili ng marami sa ating mga kababayan dahil sobrang mahal ang ibang bigas.It’s not just the price of rice that has increased in the past few months. Halos lahat ng mga pangunahing bilihin, lalo na ang pagkain, ay nagtaasan ang presyo. Based on the latest government data, inflation rate has soared to 6.4% in March, which is the highest level in the past 20 months. Kaya tuloy, madalas mong marinig na may “krisis sa pagkain.” There was a man who was interviewed on TV about the rice crisis. Ang sabi nya, “walang krisis sa bigas o pagkain, ang meron, krisis sa pera!” We couldn’t agree more.

What we are experiencing now is not really a “food crisis” but a “food price crisis.” A real food crisis happens when food is in short supply and there’s not enough to buy even if you have the money. Although it’s possible that the country could experience a real food crisis in the future (global food supply is getting tight) what is hurting the people right now are the prices of food. At kaya marami ang umaaray, dahil kulang ang kanilang supply ng pera.

We all have to learn to live with ever increasing prices because it will not go away. In a free market economy there’s only so much the government can do to control prices. To survive in times of high cost kailangan ang sariling diskarte. If you are experiencing a “money crisis” there are three things you can do:

The first option is easier said than done; but if you have the drive, patience and persistence you can do it. However, it may take some time before you can get a significant rise in your income.

The second option is also not easy to do especially if you have been used to unwise spending. However, managing your expenses properly can have immediate positive results and allow you to get more for your hard-earned money. Kung wais ka sa paggastos ng pera mo, mas malayo ang mararating nito kahit na walang dagdag sa iyong kinikita.

Reduce or eliminate expenses that are not essential for your survival. Halimbawa nito ay ang yosi at inom. If you smoke 10 sticks a day, you’re wasting at least P15 daily for something that’s not only useless but deadly. Pag tumigil ka may pambili ka na agad ng kalahating kilong bigas araw-araw. Examine your other expenses and find ways to reduce them. Always compare prices and find cheaper alternatives; when money is in short supply you can’t be too choosy. Just by spending your money wisely, you can free up hundreds, if not thousands, of pesos every month which you can use to buy those things that really matter.

To learn more about cost-cutting and other money management strategies visit www.pinoysmartsavers.com